Had a dizzy spell a couple weeks ago

thesedays · #1 02/11/12, 05:46 PM

This has happened to me several times before, always in a public place

and this time, I was at work. Because I work in a hospital, they just took me to the ER, and they said my heart rate was a little off but they couldn't find anything else wrong with me. It had stabilized by the time they discharged me, and I was able to drive myself home. I was also given an excuse to not work the next day, which was especially distressing because that was our busiest day of the week.

I had just finished eating lunch, and while I had no nausea or vomiting, I also did not have any appetite for the rest of the day. It wasn't really vertigo because I didn't experience any spinning sensation. I just can't bring myself to eat an actual meal at work now, because of this.

Thing is, ever since I have lived in constant fear of having another one, especially in a place where I wouldn't be able to get myself home, or worst of all, at work where I have enormous responsibility. Has anyone else experienced anything like this, and what was your experience?

ETA: The first time this happened, I was in a sit-down restaurant, and I have been afraid to eat in those ever since. I will, but keep my apprehensions to myself and get food to go whenever possible.

Ohio Rusty · #2 02/11/12, 06:17 PM

Have your blood pressure checked ..... it can flucuate also and make you dizzy. If my blood pressure gets too low, I get dizzy and sometimes see stars. It's time to hydrate when that happens.

Don't rule out having your thyroid checked. There are no tests for panic attacks, but they can also happen. I don't like closed in spaces with no way to get out easily. It can happen to me on a high speed highway trapped tightly between 3 semi trucks. Kinda like a highway highspeed vertigo.

Keep getting checked. it's a good thing when you can rule out different possibilites. That helps give you peace of mind when some issues are not the problem.

Ohio Rusty ><>

thesedays · #3 02/11/12, 06:18 PM

My thyroid was okay, and I was mildly anemic (I'm a perimenopausal woman). The fear that it will happen again is proving more debilitating than the incident itself.

Ozarks Tom · #4 02/11/12, 06:28 PM

Happened to me about 5 years ago, going about 70 mph down a freeway. If I hadn't been sitting down, I'd have fallen down. Got to the shoulder & called 911. Got to the ER, and checked out fine. No reoccurance since. No explanation.

OkieDavid · #5 02/11/12, 06:42 PM

Blood sugar OK? I know I have sudden onset dizzy spells when my sugar drops. Often accompanied with queasy stomach/nausea.

elliemaeg · #6 02/11/12, 06:51 PM

My dh was having spells and was sent to a heart Dr. His heart rate was real low and he wound up with a pacemaker and is doing great.

Danaus29 · #7 02/11/12, 06:51 PM

Had you just stood up from eating? If so it's probably a drop in blood pressure. Your blood will go to your stomach after you eat and you normally have a drop in BP upon standing. Happens to me a lot more frequently than I want to admit. I try to stay hydrated which does help prevent it.

Kmac15 · #8 02/11/12, 08:56 PM

My DH has spells like that if he is even mildly dehydrated. For him, it is very important to drink frequently.

thesedays · #9 02/11/12, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OkieDavid

Blood sugar OK? I know I have sudden onset dizzy spells when my sugar drops. Often accompanied with queasy stomach/nausea.

My blood sugar was high (153) but I had just eaten lunch, so in this regard it was normal.

Harry Chickpea · #10 02/11/12, 10:15 PM

Blood pressure drops in general after eating. (If you get white coat anxiety, and have a dweeb for a doctor, a hamburger before the appointment will help.) I would suggest ordering a cup of strong coffee BEFORE the meal, getting sugar checked more closely, and going for more protein when eating out. You might read a bit on panic attack desensitization as well.

Others please note that I only suggest this because heart issues have already been checked out. This isn't a one size fits all response.

TheMartianChick · #11 02/12/12, 08:37 AM

My mom and I have had this experience. My mom has a mitral valve prolapse in her heart which causes her issue. However, (as others have mentioned) it tends to occur after a big meal. In recent years, she passed out in a restaurant and in Penn Station on her way to Connecticut.

In my case, I passed out in a restaurant on my anniversary around 8 years ago. On that ocassion, I had eaten about half of a restaurant meal and consumed one alcoholic beverage. I hadn't yet stood up, but I started to black out while still sitting down. To this day, I have not returned to that particular restaurant because I could hear people speculating as to whether or not I was drunk! I don't have MVP, but I do have low blood pressure naturally.

Previously, I had these episodes once every 5 or so years. I consider myself to be overdue right now. If your doctor has checked your blood pressure, blood sugar and heart, then you are probably just fine and this was just an isolated event. Think about all of the other times that you ate lunch and suffered no ill effects... Odds are that you will be just fine eating lunch at work and won't have any more dizzy spells!

deaconjim · #12 02/12/12, 08:39 AM

Do you by any chance drink diet sodas or use aspertame as a sweetener?

Haven · #13 02/12/12, 11:48 AM

Your experience describes an anxiety attack to a T. If medical issues have been ruled out and it is anxiety, it is important to continue going back to those places and events where anxiety occured, don't avoid them as this can lead to phobias.

Ken Scharabok · #14 02/12/12, 07:31 PM

Have a blood work up, looking particularly at electrolytes.

English Oliver · #15 02/13/12, 05:07 AM

A similar thing happened to me last Wednesday. I was feeling fine and stopped at the bank and after I was done and went to stand up I fell against my chair and then into another chair. I finally was able to stand up straight but the only way I could walk was to focus my eyes on a spot on the floor about six feet in front of me, if I would turn my head I would lose my balance and start to fall. I made it to the car and felt fine when I sat down. Thinking it had passed, I didn't say anything to my wife who was waiting in the car. We then drove to Rural King and when I started getting out of the car I realized it was still happening. I went into the store but after a couple minutes my common sense took over and I told my wife to take me to the hospital. I thought I was having a stroke. When I was going into the hospital I finally did fall all the way to the floor. They rushed me into emergency, did an EKG, a Cat scan, and all the physical tests to indicate a stroke. The diagnosis was "Acute Cerebellar Ataxia" caused by reduced blood flow to the Cerebellum. They couldn't determine what caused it but they said the symptoms should go away but could linger for up to a month. They released me cautioning me to take it easy and be careful. Thursday morning I was a lot better but still a little wobbley and by Friday morning I felt fine again.

"O"

Sonshine · #16 02/13/12, 09:09 AM

The only time I've ever experienced anything like this was when my blood sugar dropped. I agree that you should get a blood work up done.

thesedays · #17 02/13/12, 08:57 PM

I'm going to contact my doctor in the morning, and see if I can get in tomorrow. That attack should be long forgotten by now, and it's still all I can think about.

thesedays · #18 02/14/12, 05:48 PM

Update: I did see him today, and he put me back on an antidepressant I used to take, even though I'm not depressed (it was used for something else) and ordered more blood work. This time, he's checking me for iron stores and my B-12 level. The results should be back tomorrow.

thesedays · #19 02/18/12, 10:17 AM

Got my lab results back; my anemia is resolving (thank you, iron tablets!) and he thinks that dizzy spell was anxiety related. Like I said in that other thread, the job is not going as well as I thought it would and I'm not happy living here either. I just don't know where I could find another job, however.